back to you, brian. >>> we're joined now by john harwood. obviously this is a huge week, a huge day for the white house and the fiscal cliff. we've also got the petraeus scandal. is that going to withdraw attention from the seriousness of the negotiations and discussions that are going on here today? it is making all the headlines. >> it is making all the headlines but i don't think it makes kitchen table headlines. therefore, i don't think it is ultimately going to distract from this work. everybody in politics knows that some stories have high entertainment value, but not the same importance to ordinary people and i think the fiscal cliff, the prospect that you could have the economy tipped in to recession, the fact that income tax rates could go up on everybody in the country i think that is something that would bolt everybody's attention back -- >> look at the cover of the "financial times" for one today, giant picture of petraeus. hardly any mention of the ceo meetings on the front page. >> right. but i think the ceo meetings are part o